Wood
County
Industrial
Commission
Hotel/Motel
occupancy
rate up;
Tourism
Ad
purchases
aproved
By JOHN
SPARKS
Meeting
in
regular
session
Thursday,
April 3
in
Mineola,
the
board of
the Wood
County
Industrial
Commission
(WCIC)
heard an
encouraging
report
regarding
hotel/motel
occupancy
rates
for the
county’s
hospitality
businesses.
The
board
also
advanced
plans
for the
purchases
of
tourism
advertising
in two
publications
and
moved
forward
with
other
tourism
development
initiatives.
Gary
McKinley,
executive
director
of the
Wood
County
Industrial
Commission
cited
statistics
from a
report
from the
Governor’s
office
for
economic
development
and
tourism
showing
the
average
occupancy
rates
for
hotels
and
motels
in Wood
County
at 45.5
percent
in 2007.
McKinley
said the
rate is
comparable
to those
enjoyed
by the
lodging
industry
in the
early to
mid
90’s.
The
occupancy
rate has
enjoyed
a
notable
and
steady
upward
trend
since
2001. He
said the
major
differences
for 2007
were the
inaugural
Texas
Bass
Classic
which
gained
Wood
County
and Lake
Fork
immeasurable
benefits
in
national
exposure
and the
acquisition
of a
chain
motel
for
Mineola.
Directors
voted to
place
advertisements
in “101
Things
To Do in
East
Texas”
and a
six-month
run in
“County
Line
Magazine”
with
preferred
placement.
The
advertisements
will be
developed
by the
promotions
committee.
Several
ideas
and
concepts
to
promote
tourism
have
been
identified
for
further
development
by
members
of teams
of board
members.
The
concepts
and
their
developers
are: Big
Bass
Attraction,
Ladd
Thompson
and Ken
Donahue;
Driving
Tour
Guide,
Dick
Roberts,
David
Chenault
and
Stanley
Statser;
Coordinated
Calendar
for Wood
County
Activities,
Neal
Duncan,
and
Billboard
Advertisements,
Glen
Davis
and
Freda
Madsen.
McKinley
reported
sales
tax
applications
for new
businesses
in Wood
County
during
March
2008
totaled
22.
Hawkins
had
three
new
applications.
Winnsboro
led with
nine new
business
applications.
The next
meeting
of the
Wood
County
Industrial
Commission
is
scheduled
for
Thursday,
May 1,
2008.
